Sprocket-chain.



I. L. 11313., SPROGKET 0mm. APPLICATION rmin mm: 10,1911.

R 1,021,786. Patented Apr. 2,

INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEY JOSEPH L. LEE, OF CARBONDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPROCKET-CHAIN.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1912.

Application filed .Tune 10, 111. Serial No. 632,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. LEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Carbondale, in the county of l'ackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in SprocketCliains, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accon'ipanying drawing.

This invention particularly relates to driving or sprocket chains which are adapted to connect separated toothed wheels, and to impart a peripheral rotary movement to the driven wheel corresponding to the peripheral speed of the driving wheel.

The principal object of this invention'is, to provide a sprocket cha n with link-eonnecting pintles which permit the free relative oscillatory movement of the successive links, and which are readily removable and replaceable when the adjacent links are slightly shifted toward each other in their normal plane.

Other objects of this invention are, t( provide said link-connecting pintles with means cooperative with the links of'said chain, to prevent their accidental displacement when in operative position, without riveting; to provide saidpintles with means cooperative with saidlinks, to revcnt their rotation when in operative. position; and to provide pintles having a wearing surface of the smallest possible diameter to withstand the strain to which the chain may be subjected.

This invention further includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

The form of this invention hereinafter described provides a chain comprising single links connected to alternately, disposed double links by suitable pintles, the single links having elongated apertures or eyes whose end walls are scmicylindriform: the double links being provided with elongated apertures or eyes having a cyli'ndriform in ncr end wall merging into a rectangular outer end wall: and the pintlc comprising elongated heads: which are capable of being thrust through the apertures in the respective links when alincd. rectangular portions titled in the rectangular portion'ot' the aperture in the double links. and capa le otheing rota ed within the cylindri'l'orni portion parallel plane of said apertures, and a cylindriform bar intermediate of the-rectangular portions fitted pintle imso.

In said figures, the single links 5 are provided' with bosses (3 having elongated aper tures or eyes 7. the end walls 8 of which are preferably semicylindritorm and merge into ans 9. aid links 5 are connected by links 12 having bosses l3 disposed upon the opposite sides of the bosses (l of the links 5. and provided with elongated apertures l-l comprising substantially semicylindriforni inner walls l5 merging into rectangular outer end walls 'l a' The links 5 and 12 are held together in jointed relation by the pintles 18. which comprise the central cyliinlrical bar 19 merging into the rectangular portions 20 which adjoin the elongated heads 21.

As shown in the operative position in Figs. 1 and 2. the apertures in the respcw tivc links are out of alincmcnt. to the extent that said apertures are in staggered relation. orout of registry. the outcr oiid wall of the apertures in the links 5 en aging the cylindrical bars 19 ot the pintles ls in turning relation therewith. and the rectangular outer end walls 16 of the apertures 14- cngaging'thc squared portions 20 of: the pintlcs 18. to prevent their rotation. and thereby maintaining the overhanging flanges 22 of the heads 21 of said pintlcs in transverse relation to the apertures 7 and 14. with said overhanging flanges engaging .the outside walls. of the bosses if of the links 12. to prevent the lateral displacement of said pintles.

The chain above described may be readily taken apart by shifting any of the adjacent links in the .direction of said chain slightly toward each other until their repective apertures register. as best shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the pintle may be i I shi'ftedout of engagement with the rectanguIarWalIsof'the apertures 14: and rotated within the circular portion ofsaid aperture's, to shift the major axis of the-heads :1 5-21-into-a'plane coincident with the major axis of the apertures l t, shown in Fig. 3, whereupon said. pintle may be shiftedlongitudinally of the'chain, to register with i "the alined apertures, in which position it may 7 10 be readily Withdrawn therefrom through said alined apertures. v It will be readily seen that when the pintles 18 are in. engagement with the outer walls of the respective apertures 7 and 14,

asjshown in the operative position in Fig. L 2," the accidental displacement 'of said pinl ,tles sim'possible; for the reason that they 3 arepreventedfrom lateral movementby the {Poverhangingflanges 22, which cannot be turned'so long v retained in contact with the rectangular Asprocket or conveyor chain constructed Q in accordance with this invention is advanta geous, in that the links or pintles may be -readily replaced by simply slacking the I chain 'inthe direction of its length to the -extent 'of the apertures in its respective links, less the diameter of its plntles. Furthermore, it may be observed that a pintle 'constructed in accordance with'this inven .tion may be formed with its wearing surface of the-smallest diameter necessary to withstand the tensional strain to which the chain may be subjected, whereby the relatively movable bearing surfaces are reduced to a minimum. I

Although the pintle is shown with the 40 cylindrical portion interposed between opposed squared portions, it-is obvious that a reversal of the parts may effect equally good results, and therefore it is not desired to limit this invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, asit is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without depart- 1n tio n as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:'

1. A chain comprising links having elongated apertures,the outer walls of the apertures of the alternate links being substantially semicylindriform and polygonal re '2. A sprocket chain comprising alternateas the squared portion 20 from the essential features of the invensingle and double links having elongated apertures, the outer walls of the aperture: of the adjacent links being substantially semicylindriform and rectangular respec tively, and a pintle operative to connect said links and having elongated headsproviding overhanging flanges which are insertibh through said apertures when alined, and ar ranged to be turned transverse thereto, t4 prevent the accidental displacement of sai pintle when in operative position, and hav ing a rectangular portion operative to en gage the rectangular wall insaid links t prevent its-rotation.

3. A sprocket chain comprising link having elongated apertures connected b; links having similarly elongated aperture comprising .a substantially semicylindrica portion and a polygonalpoi'tion, anda pir tle having elongated heads providing 'ove1 hanging flanges arranged to be inserte through said, apertures when in registr andhaving a polygonal portion rotatabl within a cylindrical portion-of said'ape1 tureand arranged to he slipped into e1 'gagement with the walls'of the polygon portion of said aperture, withthe ma axis of said heads disposed transverse .-i the major axis of said apertures, sai flanges preventing the lateral displacemel of said pintle, :and the polygonal portic preventing its rotation.

LA sprocket chain comprising cent links having elongated apertures, slde lini connecting said center links and havii elongated apertures, one end of which substantially semicircular andi'the 'oth end polygonah'and a pintle having elo gated heads providing overhanging flang insertible through said apertures wh alined, and having polygonal portions rot table in the semicircular portion of the a ertures to shift said heads transverse to sa apertures, said polygonal portions being e gageable with the walls ofthe polygor portions of said apertures, to prevent r01 tion of said pintle.

5. A sprocket chain comprising links ha ing elongated apertures, links connect-i the first mentioned links and, having el gated apertures, one end of which is lar' than the other end and a pintle havl elongated heads providing overhangi flanges which are insertible through s: apertures when alined, and having squal portions which are rotatable in the larg portions of said apertures-to permit 1 turning of said heads transverse to said ertures, thus preventing the lateral displa ment of said pintle, :and said squared p tions being engageable with the walls of smaller portion of said apertures to prev the rotation of said pintle.

'i 6. Asproeket chaincomprising links p videdwith apertures elongated in the rection of their length, and a pi'ntle connee-ting said links and comprising elon- I of the aperture in one of said Links, to prethan at the other, and a providing overhanging vent its'rotation, the alin'einent of said apertures being effected by relative movement of said links in the direction of their length.

7. A s rocket chain comprising links provided with elongated apertures, links con necting the first mentioned links and having apertures which are larger at one end intle comprising elongated heads flanges substantially conforming to the apertures in the-first mentioned links, and insertible through the apertures of the adjacent links when 'alined,.and a' squared portion rotatable in the larger end of said apertures to permit the heads of said fjintles to be turned transverse to said apertures, and

to engage the overhangingflanges of said nectlng said links and having elongated heads with said links, but cooperative with the smaller end.of said apertures to prevent the rotationof said pintles.

8. A sprocket chain comprising links (pro vlded with elongated apertures, the outer end walls of the apertures of the alternate links being substantially semicylindriformj and rectangular, respectively, and apintle connecting said links, comprising a cylindrical portion and a rectangular portion i'espcctively fitted to the outer walls of the apertures of like contour, and having elongated heads which are insertible through said apertures when alined, and which may be turned transverse thereto, and prevented from rotation providing overhanging flanges by engagementivith the rectangular ,aper ture. I

9. A- sprocketchain comprising alter nately disposed single and doublelinlis, said single links being provided with erilngated apertures having substantially semicylindriform ends, and the double links being provided with apertures having one end substantially cyli'ndriform and theother end polygonal, and pintles for connecting said links and comprising a cylindrical portion, polygonal portions and elongated heads, providing overhanging flanges, said pintles being insertible through said apertures when alined and rotatable within the semicylindriform ends of said apertures, said flangesbeing operative to prevent accidental displacement of said pintles, and said polyg- 'onal portions being operative to prevent rotation of-said pintles when in, operative positidn.

I 10. A sprocket chain comprising links provided with apertures elongated in the direction of their lerigtlnand a pintlc conoverhanging flanges which are insertiblc through said apertures when in registry and having a polygonal portion engageable with in one of said links, to prevent its rotation. the registry of said apertures being effected by opposite movement of said links with respect to said pintle in the direction of their length.

t in witness wlwrect, l? have hereunto set l my hand this 7th day of June, A. I). 1911. JOSEPH L. LEE.

\Vitnesses:

Join? Ma'mm-zws, C. E. Bamiioi-t'r.

the walls of the outer end of the apertures 

